--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're playing the part of a…" description: "\"When you're playing the part of a saxophone or a trumpet player, both of which I have done, it would be nice to be able to play like John Coltrane, but..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/185/stephen-rea-19522_able_when-you-re-playing-the-part-of-a-saxoph_493033.jpg" --- # When you're playing the part of a saxophone or a trumpet… ![“When you're playing the part of a saxophone or a trumpet player, both of which I have done, it would be nice to be able to play like John Coltrane, but you can't. Your job is to do something else. And I'm not sure what it is, but I don't think I'd be acting Niels Bohr any better if I went and…” quote by Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/185/stephen-rea-19522_able_when-you-re-playing-the-part-of-a-saxoph_493033.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/185/stephen-rea-19522_able_when-you-re-playing-the-part-of-a-saxoph_493033.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/185/stephen-rea-19522_able_when-you-re-playing-the-part-of-a-saxoph_493033.jpg) > “When you're playing the part of a saxophone or a trumpet player, both of which I have done, it would be nice to be able to play like John Coltrane, but you can't. Your job is to do something else. And I'm not sure what it is, but I don't think I'd be acting Niels Bohr any better if I went and studied physics for five years.” [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. You cannot master a skill by imitating a master; you must find your own path. **In simple terms:** Imitation limits growth; find your own voice. Key Takeaway Focus on your unique strengths. Themes creativity authenticity skill development Mood reflective inspired thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - musicianship - career planning - personal growth - learning new crafts Key Concepts identity expertise self‑discovery Questions to Reflect On - What unique contribution can you make beyond imitation? - How do you discover your own strengths? A Different Perspective Imitation may be useful for learning basics, but over‑reliance stifles originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Be nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-nice/) [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Bohr Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bohr-better-4214845/) [Both](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/both/) [Coltrane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coltrane/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/else/) [Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five/) [Five years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five-years/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/john/) [John Coltrane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/john-coltrane/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [Niels Bohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/niels-bohr/) [Part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/part/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player/) [Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing/) [Playing Saxophone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-saxophone-1131081/) [Saxophone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saxophone/) [Saxophone Trumpet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saxophone-trumpet-3774099/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Studied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/studied/) [Sure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sure/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Trumpet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trumpet/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [I was joked by a lot of older musicians because I was playing saxophone over trap beats or future bounce beats, and it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masego/i-was-joked-by-a-lot-of-older-musicians-because-i-was-playing/) [Masego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masego/) > [I'm aware of Yusef Lateef and Sun Ra and John Coltrane. 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I still like good metal, though!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geezer-butler/lately-ive-been-listening-to-some-jazz-albums-i-love-the-new-pat/) [Geezer Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geezer-butler/) > [John Coltrane is still probably one of the greatest musicians of this century. His tone truly puts demons on a leash. His gift is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-santana/john-coltrane-is-still-probably-one-of-the-greatest-musicians-of-this/) [Carlos Santana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-santana/) > [Listen to John Coltrane enough and after two bars, just two bars at any place, and you know that's him. We all have signature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/listen-to-john-coltrane-enough-and-after-two-bars-just-two-bars-at/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [I love music/sounds that have a passion, a fire, an energy I can connect with. I love angry sounding beat tracks, dark sounds for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-harris/i-love-music-sounds-that-have-a-passion-a-fire-an-energy-i-can/) [Mick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-harris/) > [As much as I think John Coltrane belongs on the list, I think without Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young, both of whom defined improvising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-mann/as-much-as-i-think-john-coltrane-belongs-on-the-list-i-think-without/) [Herbie Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-mann/) > [My dad would play me all of these records: Miles Davis records, John Coltrane records, Bill Evans records, a lot of jazz records. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldar-djangirov/my-dad-would-play-me-all-of-these-records-miles-davis-records-john/) [Eldar Djangirov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldar-djangirov/) > [I listened to King Oliver and I listened to Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Archie Shepp... I listened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/i-listened-to-king-oliver-and-i-listened-to-louis-armstrong-jelly/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [ John \[Coltrane\] was like a visitor to this planet. He came in peace and he left in peace; but during his time here, he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ayler/john-coltrane-was-like-a-visitor-to-this-planet-he-came-in-peace-and/) [Albert Ayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ayler/) ## More by Stephen Rea > [I am afraid of death, scared by it. I already don't know whether I exist or not. So dying really terrifies me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/i-am-afraid-of-death-scared-by-it-i-already-don-t-know-whether-i/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) > [I don't feel ashamed of my wife's political background, and I don't think she should either. I feel that the people who administered the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/i-don-t-feel-ashamed-of-my-wife-s-political-background-and-i-don-t/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) > [I have never been to a brothel. I don't think I could go into one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/i-have-never-been-to-a-brothel-i-don-t-think-i-could-go-into-one/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) > [You do small movies because the script is good and because you believe in the director. You don't care about the money. And when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/you-do-small-movies-because-the-script-is-good-and-because-you/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) > [That was the beginning of modern acting for me. You don't have to tell a camera everything. It gets bored if you do and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/that-was-the-beginning-of-modern-acting-for-me-you-don-t-have-to-tell/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) > [The worst thing for an actor is a director that gets on your nerves and says things that actually confuse you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/the-worst-thing-for-an-actor-is-a-director-that-gets-on-your-nerves/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) > [We didn't have a television, so I grew up with books. This isn't to suggest I'm an intellectual, but I do read a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/we-didn-t-have-a-television-so-i-grew-up-with-books-this-isn-t-to/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) > [My kids act all the time and its exactly what I used to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/my-kids-act-all-the-time-and-its-exactly-what-i-used-to-do/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) > [I think great art is always ambiguous and can't be pinned down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/i-think-great-art-is-always-ambiguous-and-can-t-be-pinned-down/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) > [My kids act all the time and it's exactly what I used to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/my-kids-act-all-the-time-and-it-s-exactly-what-i-used-to-do/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) > [If you're playing a lead, you're shaping the movie. When you're playing a supporting role, you've got only a moment to make it count.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/if-you-re-playing-a-lead-you-re-shaping-the-movie-when-you-re-playing/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) > [You have to know who you are, if you don't you have nightmares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/you-have-to-know-who-you-are-if-you-don-t-you-have-nightmares/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) > [I'd like to own a movie camera - a proper one, with film, not a digital thing. Celluloid has more character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/i-d-like-to-own-a-movie-camera-a-proper-one-with-film-not-a-digital/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) > [People ask me to smile for the camera, but somehow it always comes out gloomy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/people-ask-me-to-smile-for-the-camera-but-somehow-it-always-comes-out/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) > [I loved movies as a teenager and saw as much American cinema as I could, but I hated the English films of the early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rea/i-loved-movies-as-a-teenager-and-saw-as-much-american-cinema-as-i/) [Stephen Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) [Explore all 32 Stephen Rea quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rea/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you're playing the part of a saxophone or a trumpet player, both of which I have done, it would be nice to be able to play like John Coltrane, but you can't. Your job is to do something else. 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